The FastDay Forum

Well, I've put on 1kg, nothing serious, but I'm back on 5:2 this week as a result. How is everyone else doing?

I gained this week, too. Gutted, and annoyed. But I'm wondering if it's because I'm doing strength training and it's muscle.

I'm definitely over-thinking it and it's not even the time yet but I have a feeling that 6:1 won't work for me.
So, I have a back up plan. Here it is, in case you get any ideas...
Even when I reach the weight I desire, I'll continue 5:2 for at least another week so that I will have some "extra" weight to gain when I play around with how to maintain.
Since 6:1 seems not enough (to me, that is) I will either do 5:2 with eating more on 5 days or 5:2 with eating a bit more on 2 days. I feel that this way I'll have more control. Can you tell that I am a control-freak?

Susan, when you stopped 5:2 did you allow for some 'bounce back' of your weight, at least from the level you see just after your 2nd fast day? This is up to 2kg in my case each week, so in setting my target (which is based on my weight after 2nd fast day) I have tried to build in a cushion because I know as soon as I stop 5:2 my weight will rise. One week when I couldn't manage the 1st fast day but only the 2nd my weight rose 1kg, but it got back on track the next week. So maybe the 1 kg rise is just a one-off correction?

I've been doing 6.1 for two weeks while kids been off and not gained but I'm not at my goal yet,

It could be water retention, are you due your period. I can gain a kilo the week before a period easily, then it all goes a few days later.

When I'm at my goal I will have to play around with methods either 6.1 or 5.2 but more calories than 500 in the evening. Will see.

Don't worry I'm sure yours will even out.

I would have thought that one week is too soon to judge if it will work.

I still have so long to go, I haven't thought about maintenance yet, but will be reading your experiences with great interest!

Franglaise, the bit of talk this morning about weigh in days has reminded me that while I have a steady downward graph, it would be much more up and down if I weighed in every day. I weigh in every Friday officially as it's my lowest point each week. I now plan to aim for a slightly lower target weight to ensure when I switch to maintenance I'm maintaining my target weight rather than my post weekend weight - on Mondays I know I'm always about 4 pounds/ 2kg heavier again. Maybe this is what had happened to you? Perhaps you should do 5:2 for a couple of weeks until you're 2kg below your target weight, then switch back to maintenance?

Keep us posted. Reading about you making your target and how you're doing maintaining it is very inspiring!! Best wishes.

Some good advice and suggestions here already Franglaise, nothing to add but my best wishes - keep us updated on how it's all going

Yes good luck Susan & please keep us updated. I guess it will be another learning curve for us all when we reach our desired weight. Maintaining my goal weight has never been achievable for me in the past hence my yo yo dieting so I & I expect many others will be hoping 5:2 ing or 6:1 ing is the answer. You are a pathfinder for us now having achieved your goal weight

It's always going to be a homeostatic process. Swap regimes at will.

Saying that I outdid myself last week and put 2kg on in the course of one day, so I allow bigger variations than you.

I gained this week, too. Gutted, and annoyed. But I'm wondering if it's because I'm doing strength training and it's muscle.

Yes, and muscle repair causing water retention. Have you seen the FAQ on this?

http://www.52fastdiet.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1006

Hi Susan, I have continued 5:2 but with modifications to hopefully maintain around my current weight (which is 3 lbs below my already reset target). I still do Sunday & Tuesday and will not eat until after 12:00 (skip breakfast) but will eat at lunchtime or immediately after exercise. Then a normal evening meal with unrestricted calories, including wine if necessary. It is early days yet, so no great help to you, but it is easy and there are still two days a week when I don't eat for 18 hours, so I hope the other fasting benefits are still being realized. I weigh every morning and use Libra app to plot my trend - I have definitely stopped the apparently terminal dive towards zero!

I have definitely stopped the apparently terminal dive towards zero!

No 'apparently' about it. Definitely terminal when you reach zero...

Thankyou all for your replies!
I go below my target weight, so was happy to have some margin to play with. I've been on 6:1 (plus a half day fast another day a week) for a few weeks now so I've put on the weight gradually. I weigh myself every day but there is a difference week on week now, albeit a little one. But I appreciate that water retention and periods may have a big effect. I've also been running more so maybe more muscle (she says optimistically). It isn't a huge increase, but probably a few too many treats at the weekends don't help.
I don't seem to have put on inches, it is just the weight so that may well be due to other factors.
The good thing with this diet is that it is very easy to go back onto 5:2 for a couple of weeks and lose the weight again. Hopefully!

Franglaise,

Sounds like you will have to try a few different things to find out how to maintain the weight. I can easily do 5:2 without losing any weight and was for a while. My weight loss is kicking back in as I stick to a more healthy diet. Since my BMI is around 20, weight loss is very slow. Hoping to get around BMI 19.